Aid Through Trade Nepal Relief Fund

$5,336
of $10,000 goal

Our Founder, Damian Jones, was in Kathmandu during the earthquake and saw firsthand the devastation, which led to so much loss of life. This story is not over, and now is a time we can help the survivors rebuild their lives. So many of you have asked how you can help, which prompted us to create this fund.

Since the recent earthquake and continued aftershocks in Nepal, Aid Through Trade has received an outpouring of love and support from our friends, family, and customers. While all of our staff and artisans are physically safe, there will be a continuous need for financial, emotional, and spiritual support. We set up this fund to provide immediate assistance to our artisans and their families whose homes have been destroyed or are now unsafe. Our Nepal office will personally administer this fund – to provide temporary shelter and repairs, to assist with medical care, and to help build new safer homes. We personally ensure that your money will be used to directly benefit those in need.

Aid Through Trade is a fair trade company that works with artisans in Kathmandu and the surrounding villages in Nepal. Our artisans create beautiful handcrafted jewelry and are compensated with a fair income, benefits and a hot daily meal in a safe and healthy work environment.

Aid Through Trade is a founding member of the Fair Trade Federation and has continued to be an active part of the Federation for 21 years. For more information about our company please visit us at http://www.aidthroughtrade.com

Thank you for your support. Your contribution will make a direct impact in the lives of those in Nepal.

I am moved by and I thank the many people who have reached out to help.

Please understand that a small donation is valuable.

I am touched by stories of elementary students in NYC collecting many small donations (like Kindergarten students collecting a dollar) so that we received over $500 from one school. Another woman sold coffee at a garage sale. Ridgley Retreat yoga studio put on a special yoga class to raise funds. A Cook's Cafe, a local school and restaurant put out a jar on the counter and raised $100's.

Fifteen dollars or twenty dollars will help buy bricks, or wood window frames. Any amount helps.

In Nepal, they are still experiencing aftershocks, even up to today. The aftershocks of course add to the psychological toll. Though we will give preference to artisan families in need, our priority will be to reach those most poor, artisans or not, and help in the most efficient way. Your donation will go directly for the purchase of materials to rebuild. We will be there helping over the longer run, not just in the immediate.

This week our Aid Through Trade office manager visited the village of one of our artisans that lost her home in the first devastating earthquake that hit Nepal in April. She was inside the building when the ground shook and was able to run outside before the house crumbled. Her family is currently living together in a temporary tent until funds can be raised to build a new home. Many of our other artisans are facing significant damage or cracking to their homes making them unsafe to live in.
Since there are so many in need, we have established a management board in Nepal that will review applications from those with building damage and will oversee how the fund is spent on rebuilding projects.

Thank you all for your generous support, thoughtfulness and uplifting prayers. There have been many aftershocks since the first quake hit 2 weeks ago and today there was another 7.3 magnitude earthquake about 76km east of Kathmandu. We spoke with our management staff in Nepal and learned that many artisans were in the studio when the earthquake hit. All of our staff in Kathmandu are unharmed and currently safe. There is sure to be more structural damage in the city as well as in the villages where many artisans have homes. Many people are sleeping in tents tonight out of fear that another large quake will come. Please continue to keep Nepal in your prayers. We will keep you updated as we hear more from our staff.